Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

Mike Smith played basketball for four seasons at Eastern from 1988-1992, playing one season for coach Max Good and the final three under coach Mike Pollio’s tutelage.  He began his collegiate career in grand style, being named to the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman Team, averaging 10.8 points and 7.1 rebounds and blocking 60 shots.  During his sophomore season, Smith scored 4.5 points per game with 7.9 rebounds a contest and 43 blocked shots.  His junior season saw him average 10.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in helping lead Eastern to a 19-10 overall record and second place OVC finish.  Smith finished his career in fine fashion as he was chosen second-team All-OVC, received the team’s most improved award and the team’s most improved academic award.  He averaged 12.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, hit 65.6 percent of his shots from the field during his senior season.  He closed his career as EKU’s all-time leading rebounder with 977 rebounds, a mark that still stood at the time of his induction.  Smith’s final point total of 1,077 ranked 28th on the all-time list at the time of his induction.  His supreme honor came in 2009 when he was named to the 15-player EKU All-Century Basketball Team.  He continued his basketball playing career after college, playing for Grand Rapids in the CBA and by playing professionally overseas in Turkey in 1992 and in Mexico in 1993.  After receiving his bachelor’s of science in corrections and juvenile services from EKU in 1993, he served 10 years in U.S. Army.  At the time of his induction, Smith was working for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Ft. Worth, Texas.